The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-05
ROYAL REMAINS.
Those or Central American Emper.
Ors Said 20 be 2I3z Years Old.

There is now in this city DR.. Jose
Fabregas y Pares, "the distinguished
archaeological explorer from Guate-
mala," who says he has in his posses
sion the mortal remains of the famous
Central American Emperor, Balum-
botan, his august daughter, Princess
Xibalbsy, and the second prince,
Oniche, decapitated by his elder
brother, then Emperor Mira Uni
max"
The doctor publishes a circular
containing some Spanish history of
the Aztecs 300 years before Christ,
to which he appends the statement
that he "traversed the vast terri
tories of Central America in search
of ancient relics among the natives,
and after many fatigues and priva-
tions his researches were at last
crowned with the discovery of the
imperial remains.
The mortal remains of Emperor
Balumbotan, those of Princess XII
balbay and those of her two infants.
were found in separate granite blocks
in mausoleum Of the same stone,
and situated inside a deep cave. In
order to break the mausoleum open,
which resembled the form of half an
egg, picks and steel bars were after
fruitless efforts laid aside and blast
ing powder resorted to. There is
nothing more air-tight and solid than
this granite dome it seemed as if it
we're made of one large rock, for the
seams were entirely visible. The in
terror of the dome was perfectly dry
and the surrounding wall presented
an appearance as bright as though
the granite mass had just left the
quarries.
On the center lay the two casket
like granite blocks,a one end of each
of which hole had been drilled to
admit the disjointed remains. Both
stones have inscriptions which were
deciphered to be Balumbotan, the
wise chief, on one and Empress Xib-
albay and the two young babies on
the other. The remains were found
in a most admirable state of preser-
walton, entirely covered with clay
ish matter of yellow tinge.
The decapitated body of the impe-
rial boy, Ikh Balam, was found in
like circumstances among the ruins
of Santa Cruz del Quiche, Guatemala,
in one of the excavations opened by
DIR. Fabregas.
Among the remains now ON exhi-
bition in San Francisco there are
two molar teeth from a mastodon OF
antediluvian age and entirely petri-
fed.
In substantiation of these state
ments, the doctor produces a sheet of
letter paper, on the upper left hand
corner of which is an engraved seal
hearing the words y. Rufno Bar
rios, GENERAL Presidente de Ia Repub.
! lica de Guatemala, America Central"
Following a date line, " Mayo,
'84," is a letter in Spanish, which,
freely translated, is to the effect that
the doctor was appointed antique and
archaeological explorer general of the
Republic by Barrios.
The doctor said he is positive that
the remains he exhibits are what he
represents them to be, because the
Indians told him so after deciphering
the hieroglyphics on the stones, but
doubling Thomases will be struck by
the sharp edges left upon the bones
where they were sawed in cutting up
their remains-an operation which
there is every indication OF having
been performed quite recently. That
the remains are 2l87 years old is moi
indicated by their appearance.